Hashtag Widget Examples: A New Way to Connect

Learn How Brands Use Hashtag Widgets for Engagement

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#Social written on a light sign, next to it an ipad showing a hashtag widget.

Hashtags have become a staple in social media and online marketing. They offer a quick and easy way to connect with others and build a community. But did you know that you can now use hashtags on your website as well? Enter the hashtag widget, a powerful tool that can help you increase engagement, improve your search engine optimization (SEO), and build a stronger online presence.

What is a hashtag widget?

A hashtag widget is a tool that allows you to display hashtags on your website. It’s a simple and effective way to connect with your audience and encourage them to engage with your content. With a hashtag widget, you can easily promote your brand, increase visibility, and drive traffic to your website.

Learn how to enhance your campaigns with a hashtag widget.

How does a hashtag widget work?

Hashtag widgets work by connecting your website to social media platforms. When you create a hashtag widget, you choose the hashtags you want to pull content from and display on your website. Visitors to your site can click on these photos or videos and be taken directly to the social media platform to view posts associated with that hashtag. This makes it easy for your audience to engage with your content and share it with their own followers.

Create a hashtag widget that collects social content automatically!

Great for brands that care about user privacy and security. This solution doesn’t load any 3rd-party widgets or services and complies with EU & US/Californian data protection laws (GDPR and CCPA).

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​​What social media platforms can you use for a hashtag widget?

You have the option to incorporate a hashtag widget into your website for some of the most popular social platforms. The following are the most widely used platforms for collecting user-generated content via hashtags:

  • Instagram
  • X (Twitter)
  • YouTube 
  • Mastodon
  • Reddit

5 ways to use a hashtag widget + examples

Hashtag widget are an innovative way to connect with your audience. Learn 5 easy ways to use them on your website or venue.

1. Collect user-generated content

Leverage the power of user-generated content tagged with your hashtag. Once posted, your widget will automatically collect it. Then, consider repurposing this valuable content by re-sharing it on your social media channels, incorporate it into marketing materials, or simply feature it on your website. It’s a win-win for building brand authenticity and engagement.

For example, a social media hashtag campaign by NatureFresh called #KidsInTheKitchen aimed to get families to cook together and children to eat more vegetables. They collected tons of user-generated content on a hashtag widget. The submissions were compiled and released as an eBook on the NatureFresh™ Farms website; it features advice, tips and recipes contributed by users during the campaign.

Screenshot of the landing page for the Kids In The Kitchen campaign on the NatureFresh™ Farms website. The heading says “Explore Our Gallery Of #KidsInTheKitchen Inspiration” above the embedded social wall.
Source: #KidsInTheKitchen Runs a Best-Practice Hashtag Campaign

2. Display customer reviews 

Let’s face it, with so many options out there, people often find it tough to decide which brand to trust. That’s where testimonials come in. When potential customers stumble upon positive reviews from real people, it builds trust and confidence in your business, making them more likely to choose you over the competition.

Helvetia Group, a Swiss insurance company, shares customer success stories on social media, which they display on their website’s social media widget. 

Screenshot of a Facebook post that tells the story of a single mom that uses Helvetia insurance.
Source: Facebook.

3. Show how people use your products 

Wallpaper from the 70s encourages customers to share their wallpaper in action. Their hashtag widget is seamlessly integrated on their website, showcasing beautiful real-life examples of their products.

Wallpaper from the 70s contest page displaying a social media feed showing customer photos from Instagram and Facebook. At the top of the page they encourage customer to share user0generated content: "We are proud of our wallpapers - and so are our customers: Let others inspire you to find out what can be done with wallpapers. Every day new pictures are added which show us many ideas we hadn't thought of yet." At the bottom of the page they have another call-to-action encouraging their customers to share photos of their creations and get the possibility to win 1000 EUR cashback. (hashtag widget example)
Source: User-Generated Content for eCommerce. A screenshot of the hashtag widget from Wallpaper from the 70s displaying real customer photos. 

Enhance your website with a hashtag widget

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4. Have the latest news

Whether you want to keep site visitors updated on the latest news about a topic, or you simply want to show what people are saying about your product or venue, a hashtag widget will aggregate the latest content shared on social media about that topic. 

For example, The Oakland Zoo uses a hashtag feed on a screen to present the different happenings around the Zoo.

Photo showing the Oakland Zoo plaza screen. The screen is divided into four areas showing the social wall, a video feed, a promo for the Walk in the Wild event, and the Oakland Zoo logo. (hashtag widget)
Source: Social Media at Oakland Zoo

The screen at the zoo displays content tagged with the hashtag #OaklandZoo, and content posted directly via a QR code. In their words, the screen in their main entrance plaza “brings such a positive energy when you’re able to walk into the zoo and see how much fun people have had in the past and how they’re doing today, and it gives you ideas for what you’re going to do yourself.”

5. Increase engagement at events

The best tip for boosting engagement at your events: Use a hashtag! When attendees tag their content with the official hashtag, it all gets collected on a widget and can be displayed on a screen or website. This creates a dynamic and interactive experience for everyone involved. 

For example, the annual event organized by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM)  is North America’s largest music trade show. They set up an event hashtag feed to feature the amazing content their attendees and exhibitors captured around the show.

The screenshot of the NAMM Show 2023 social wall displaying UGC.
Source: The NAMM Show Drives Brand Exposure With a Social Wall

How to embed a hashtag widget on your website

Collect content customers and creators publish using your hashtag, moderate and display it on a hashtag widget. All possible in less than 5 minutes. 

Get a Walls.io account and define your content sources

Start your 14-day Walls.io trial and define the sources you would like to pull content from. You can add a combination of hashtags, profiles, and pages depending on the social media channels you choose to add to your social wall. Curate the content and select what you would like to display using advanced moderation features.

Try a hashtag widget now

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Choose from flexible hashtag widget templates

You can easily customize your hashtag widget’s appearance using the Walls.io Style Editor. No tech skills are needed! Change the background, text, and tile border color with just a few clicks. Your hashtag widget will be fully responsive and will always look great no matter the size or resolution of your device. 

Check the layouts in action and learn all about the design possibilities.

Benefits of using hashtag widgets

  • Improved engagement: By using a hashtag widget, you make it easier for your audience to engage with your content. They can quickly and easily find related posts and participate in discussions. This increased engagement can lead to higher levels of traffic, increased brand exposure and improved customer loyalty.
  • Better SEO: Using a hashtag widget can improve your search engine optimization (SEO) by making it easier for search engines to index your content. When your content is properly indexed, it’s more likely to appear in search results when people search for relevant keywords.
  • Increased brand awareness: Hashtag widgets can be a great way to promote your brand and increase awareness. By encouraging visitors to use your hashtags, you can build a community of followers and increase the visibility of your brand. This can help you reach a wider audience and grow your business.
  • Easy to use: Hashtag widgets are easy to set up and use. They require no coding knowledge and can be integrated into your website or blog in just a few simple steps.

Wrapping up 

A hashtag widget is a powerful tool that can help you connect with your audience, improve your SEO, and increase your online presence. By using a hashtag widget, you can make it easier for your audience to engage with your content, increase brand exposure, and drive traffic to your website. 

So, why wait? Start exploring the world of hashtag widgets today and unlock the full potential of your online presence.